Earn as you Learn Careers Days

St Kevin’s College is pleased to have been awarded some ministry funding to host some targeted Careers events.

These events will:

- Provide opportunities for young people, their teachers and whanau to connect to the world of work and explore vocational pathways while in school.

- Enhance the student perspectives on vocational education and ‘earn while you learn’ pathways, showcasing the trades and service industries.

- Focus on ‘one or many’ of a range of strategically important sectors (Social & Community Sectors, Construction & Infrastructure, Manufacturing & Technology, Primary Industries, Service Industries and Creative Industries.

- Provide opportunities for local iwi, and whānau, local council, non-profit organisations, local business and trades associations to be involved, hopefully creating ongoing relationships.

Events Format:

St Kevin’s College is proposing to host up to four events throughout 2020 to raise awareness of each of the Vocational Pathway’s. The format will be similar for each day.

A bus will transport students around local businesses. Hosting each trip will be at least one ITO representative, teachers from related subjects, community representatives and up to 20 selected Year 11 students.

The main objective is to meet employers and employees involved in “Earn as you Learn” training (eg. apprentices or recently qualified), to learn more about specific vocational pathways and training opportunities.

Towards the end of Year 11, students will make their senior subject selections. Alongside traditional subjects, vocational courses such as Gateway, STAR, Ara and Primary Industries Trades Academy and Carpentry/Engineering are offered. It is hoped that these careers days will help them to make more informed choices.

The Vocational Pathways staff; Margaret Burton (Dean of Vocational Pathways) Paula Eatherley (Gateway and Primary ITO Trades Academy Coordinator) and Sue McErlane (Vocational Pathways Support) will be contacting businesses and organisations in the district over the coming weeks to invite them to be involved. If you would like to be involved, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Sue initially, by email smcerlane@stkevins.school.nz or phone 03 437 1665.

Pictured below is Henry Guerin at Johnson Gluyas last year.

Ara Polytechnic Year 10 Taster Day.

On Tuesday 26th November all Year 10 students in the Waitaki District travelled to Ara Polytechnic Timaru to have a Taster Day.

Each student was given the opportunity to experience 3 different workshops. The workshops included: Cupcake Decoration, Engineering, Sports Performance, Climbing Wall, Digital Design, Hairdressing, Beauty, Medical Attention, Driving Simulation, Wheel Challenge Competition, Fake $20, Childcare, Fine Art, Photography, Pasta Making, Tourism, Radiohead, Power Tools and Creating an App.

A large group of staff travelled to ARA and they experienced an informative, interactive day with the students. Feedback from students and staff has been very positive and I thank the ARA team for giving us such a wonderful experience

Thank you to everyone that accompanied the students on the trip.

Gateway Programme

Gateway is a school programme for senior students that supports them to undertake learning and assessment in the workplace. It gives students a clear understanding of the knowledge and skills required for future employment.

Students have had some outstanding experiences, thanks to the generosity of local employers and their staff, who give up their time and share their expertise. Some students have secured apprenticeships for next year and others now have a clear idea about the vocational pathway that they wish to follow.

We would like to thank all the Industry Training Organisations for their support and the following organisations for hosting and mentoring our students;

Streeter Concepts Signwriting & Design
Johnson Gluyas
Ireland Engineering Solutions Ltd
Waitaki Refrigeration
Oamaru Kindergarten Association (Glen Warren)
Banks Auto Electrical
North Otago Motor Group
Calect Electrical Ltd
Aotea Electrical
McBrimar Homes
B. Williamson Racing (& J Gibson)
Peter Keown Automotives
Riverstone Kitchen
MV Building
Lance Doran Automotive
Drummond & Etheridge
RES Electrical
Kakanui Carpenters
Iona Home & Hospital
St Joseph’s Primary School
Oamaru Intermediete School
Papakaio School
Primary ITO
BCITO
MITO
Skills Organisation
Service IQ
Competenz
Porse
Fairviews Educational Resources

We also acknowledge the generosity of Repco Oamaru for sponsoring the SKC Vocational Pathways Prize, which was awarded to Year 13 student Callum Bishop. Callum completed a Level 3 Auto-electrical Gateway with Banks Auto. He also did a Level 2 Electrical Gateway in with Laser Electrical in 2018.

Thanks also to the Vocational Pathways staff at St Kevin’s College for all their hard work and encouragement.

Primary ITO Trades Academy School at St Kevin's College

SKC is fortunate to be a Primary ITO Trades Academy school. The Programme of Study aims to ensure that graduates from the two year course (Years 11 and 12) have a combination of practical skills and theoretical knowledge that will enable them to make informed choices about career options in the primary sector.

This funding ensures that all students studying Agriculture and Horticulture can benefit from a range of learning experiences including classroom based unit standards and achievement standards, industry training, farm visits and work based assessments. Health & Safety is also a key focus, as well as literacy and numeracy development.

We wish to say a huge thank you to the many people who supported our students in 2019; Primary ITO staff, AgriLearn tutors and admin, Oamaru Racecourse and Farm Manager, all the farmers and producers we have visited, particularly the Nichols of Kuriheka who have hosted us for many years. Also Hayman's Dairy and David O'Neill Contracting who both took students for work experience.

Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award

A new award was given out at Prizegiving on Monday night called the Inaugural Prime Minister’s Vocational Excellence Award, won by Henry Guerin.

Henry met the criteria by;

Gaining a Merit endorsement at NCEA Level 2, with a Vocational Award in Primary Industries. He has also passed NCEA Level 3 and won the prize for being first in Materials Technology.

Successfully participating for two years in the SKC Primary Industries Trades Academy. This involved learning practical skills such as farm vehicle driving and safety, fencing, animal handling etc Henry also undertook work experience with a fencing contractor and on a sheep and beef farm.

Completing a Diesel Automotive Level 3 Gateway Programme of study and work experience at Johnson Gluyas, Oamaru. Henry benefited from great mentoring by experienced staff and he demonstrated an excellent work ethic.

Contributing to the wider school by being a member of the First XV Rugby team and attaining an SKC Silver Service Award, as well as meeting other skills and attributes as outlined in an assessment tool.

Henry will enter the Dairy industry after school where he hopes to complete a Dairy industry Apprenticeship.

The Prize also comes with $2000 for the student to use how they wish. It may interest you to know that he has already spent this on a new chainsaw!

Well done Henry!

Agrilearn Courses

Recently Year 12 students from St Kevin's and Waitaki Girl's were hard at work completing a Small Engines course with Agrilearn Ltd. St Kevin's College is a Primary Industries Trades Academy school, which offers students a great opportunity to develop skills, explore career pathways and gain qualifications in the Agricultural sector.

We are grateful to the excellent Agrilearn tutors for teaching and encouraging our students. Health and Safety is a vital component of the workplace, so students are getting a headstart by being taught how to operate farm vehicles, handle stock and carry out fencing and trough repairs etc.

Thanks also to Dave Heffernan for kindly allowing us to use the farm facilities and sheep at the Oamaru racecourse for the Agrilearn courses.